I've got a horribly complex setup with two sets of kit in the same room. One set is for the room itself (a "cinema"), and the other is for my "lounge", on the other side of a wall. Both set-ups have separate amps, dvd players etc, but share other components including a satellite PVR and a HTPC. IR for the "lounge" system comes in via a Xantech box, and the usual emitters.

It all works a treat at the moment but I'm considering an upgrage which would see (amongst other things) a second HTPC, instead of one the DVD players. So I'd have 2 HTPCs, in the same rack, requiring separate IR control.

I've thought about putting one of the IR receivers (and the end of an emitter wand!) in an lightproof box, but there must be a more elegant way of doing it.

Ideally I'd like to replicate the direct IR feed I have on the HK amp which is part of the "lounge" set-up. All I have is a mini-jack to mini-jack lead from the Xantech into the back of the HK.

So has anyone seen a PC card or anything that would allow me to feed an HTPC with an IR signal direct from a Xantech system (or something like it) without using an emitter and a receiver?

I think you guys are going to drive yourselves crazy looking for this part (but if you find it, let me know!)

Just use black electrical tape over the IR emitter and entire IR window of the IR to USB sensor unit. You can make this look surprisingly clean if you're careful and no IR will bleed from one unit to the other.

The other way is just to put the IR head for the existing PC on an IR extension lead and hide it behind the edge of the screen in the other room. I was always nervous about doing this because the IR link from the original MCE keyboard was so ropey, but I've just switched to a 2.4ghz keyboard so I'll only be using IR for the remote (Harmony one).

I know this probably isn't what you're looking for... but if you're using a MCE system with an original MCE remote, then there are 3 unique IR codesets available. So you could use normal distribution equipment?

I know this probably isn't what you're looking for...but if you're using a MCE system with an original MCEremote, then there are 3 unique IR codesets available.So you could use normal distribution equipment?

I think you guys are going to drive yourselves crazy lookingfor this part (but if you find it, let me know!)

Just use black electrical tape over the IR emitter andentire IR window of the IR to USB sensor unit. You canmake this look surprisingly clean if you're careful andno IR will bleed from one unit to the other.

I know it sounds crazy, but I can tell you from experience that black electrical tape is *completely* transparent to IR. (Man, was that a frustrating lesson learned!!)

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